SMITHERS, W.Va. — The doors have opened at Grant’s Supermarket in Smithers in Fayette County after Kroger left the small Fayette County community earlier this year.
According to Smithers Mayor Anne Cavalier, shoppers have not stopped coming into the store since the first items were purchased over the weekend.
“It opened Saturday and I can tell you that the residents of the Upper Kanawha Valley are thrilled,” Cavalier said. “They turned out in great numbers and I think that store has been full ever since.
“They have the name brands that people are looking for, their pricing is excellent, they have fresh meats and a butcher on site. The staff couldn’t be nicer and more helpful.”
Kroger closed Oct. 30 saying there wasn’t enough business to keep the store open. Cavalier said the new store hired back nine Kroger employees giving it the same community feeling.
“Area residents see familiar faces when they go in there,” she said. “The manager (Seth Thompson) is new to the area but he is moving here. He’s been with Grant’s since he was 15-years-old and he could not be warmer or more inviting. It’s rare to go to a store where the manager stands there and shakes everyone’s hands and exchange names. It’s a warm and inviting experience.”
According to Cavalier, Kroger still has the lease for the building until the end of the year but let Grant’s come in to remodel the place and start preparing in November.
She said the hard work by Grant’s has paid off, making it an enjoyable shopping atmosphere.
“The place has been totally cleaned and painted from top to bottom,” she said. “The decor is friendly and calm and they have widened the aisles. It just looks like a brand new storm from the inside. It really is a good experience to go in there.”
The Smithers location is the Bluefield-based Grant’s 17th store with locations in southern West Virginia, western Virginia and North Carolina.
According to the Grant’s Supermarket website, the Smithers location is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.